Phycobiliproteins – New natural dyes from algae as a sustainable method

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the application of natural pigments extracted from algae, one of the majoritarian organisms in the aquatic environments, in the dyeing process. In this study two different pigments were employed, a blue one, phycocyanin, extracted from the cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis, and a red one, phycoerythrin, extracted from the red macroalgae Gracilaria vermiculophylla. The extracted pigments were applied to cotton and wool fabrics by means of exhaustion dyeing process. The results were quantified by measuring the chromatic coordinates, colour strength and laundering and rubbing fastness. These results showed that the extracted phycobiliproteins presented a difference in colour if they had been treated with ammonium sulphate, as a stabilizer and presented higher colour strength when applied to cotton than to wool. The laundering and rubbing fastness showed good to excellent results.